I’ve been asked many times, ‘What’s the color of paint people use on the outdoor porch ceilings that keeps bugs out?’ Some people living in and around New Orleans might call it Dirt Dauber Blue. But in the Low Country region of South Carolina or Georgia, where the Gullah/Geechee community resides, the blue porch ceiling color is generally referred to as Haint Blue.

The Gullah/Geechee people, who are descendants of African slaves, believe using the Haint Blue color wards off evil spirits, or Haints. Haint is a variation of the word ‘Haunt’, meaning ghost or troublesome spirit. The cultural legend holds that a Haint could not cross through or over water, so a cerulean blue mixture of blue was applied to window frames and sills, door frames, shutters, openings, and interior ceilings of their homes. They hoped that the blue color would confuse and trick a Haint into thinking the paint was water, and would keep them away. At some point in time, the Haint Blue color began to be painted on porch ceilings, too.

While growing up in south Louisiana, I hadn’t ever questioned the ‘why’ behind the blue porch ceilings on so many homes. I’d always heard stories that blue porch ceilings prevent dirt daubers or wasps from building nests, and keep mosquitos out because the blue color tricks them by appearing to be the sky. Maybe a long time ago that was the case. Dating back to the early 1700’s, the Haint Blue paint mixture was made in dirt pits, dug in the yard, using limes, buttermilk, and indigo. Since it was created by hand, Haint Blue was actually a range of colors that varied from blue-greens to periwinkle blues. Some people think that the lime used in the blue paint mixture repelled the bugs, wasps, and mosquitos, not the color itself. Whether or not that’s the case, the Town of Abita Springs is notorious for being a haunted town, with a ghostly house here and there, especially in the historic district. Until a few years ago, I hadn’t heard of the phrase Haint Blue, but I’ve certainly seen a lot of blue porch ceilings around here in Abita Springs and the New Orleans Northshore.

Depending on which legend you believe (as a repellant for troublesome spirits or harassing bugs), Haint Blue is a welcomed porch ceiling color in the New Orleans Northshore area. These historic houses in Old Mandeville and along the lakefront of Lake Pontchartrain reflect the cultural mixture of Spanish, French, European, and African Descent with Caribbean influences evident in the Creole Architecture of Louisiana.

Although “Justine Plantation” was originally built in Centreville, LA, in St. Mary Parish in the early 1800’s, it was moved by barge to the lakeshore of Mandeville in 2003. Notice the lovely shades of Haint Blue colors on the porch ceiling and handrails. A little lagniappe about the history of this house, along with many other plantation homes, can be found in this Louisiana cookbook (AL).

And like an authentic Louisiana gumbo, a balanced blend of Creole architectural styles with blue porch ceilings can be found in nearby Covington. Some of you might already be familiar with the Southern Living Louisiana Idea House, Bayou Bend, in TerraBella Village, a traditional neighborhood development.

Can’t you just imagine relaxing while sipping sweet tea or lemonade on a hot summer day on the porch beneath one of these Haint Blue ceilings?

I kept having a familiar feeling while digging a little deeper into the ‘why’ behind the blue porch ceilings, learning more about the cultural traditions of the Gullah/Geechee people of Charleston and Savannah. It seemed to me like there was a common cultural thread not only with the French Creoles of the New Orleans Northshore area, but throughout Louisiana, and especially with the Creole community along the Cane River in Natchitoches Parish. Melrose Plantation, along with the Cane River Creole community, was established in the late 1700’s by the freed slave Marie Therese Coin-Coin and her descendants. Melrose Plantation was where Clementine Hunter (AL), renowned Louisiana folk artist, lived and created joyous and remarkable art depicting the life and culture of the Creole community along the Cane River. If you look closely at her artwork, she used turquoise-lavender shades of Haint Blue paint colors on the windows, doors frames, shutters, and openings on the houses, churches, and buildings in her paintings.

Although the cultural folklores between South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana may have parallels and similarities, the Haint Blue colors undoubtedly vary by region. Our local Benjamin Moore dealer, Helm Paint, recommends ‘Blue Allure, 771’ to customers looking for a typical blue porch ceiling color.

Technically, there’s not a specific shade of Haint Blue if you want the historical shades used by the Gullah/Geechee communities of Charleston and Savannah during the eighteenth century. They used whatever they had available on hand (limes, pigments, chalks) to make the watery blue colors. And it differs by region and period.

So, if you’re in search of a Haint Blue color (or ‘Dirt Dauber Blue’), for your home’s porch ceiling, here’s a helpful round-up list of 50 shades of Haint Blue paint colors from various sources for you to review and consider. There are beautiful turquoise and aqua blues with a little green, some that are more of a true blue, and others that are a periwinkle blue with a hint of purple.

I generally tell our clients that the shade of blue color that you select for a porch ceiling really depends on what looks best with the other elements and colors of your own house. Have you painted your porch ceiling a Haint Blue color? If so, which one did you use? Do tell!